No mulch is perfect or ideal. Each has its pros and cons. Choose the type of mulch that you like best based on aesthetics, price and availability. Make sure to choose just one type for your whole landscape.

5 Purposes for Mulch

1. Decoration

Looking at bare dirt is boring. Colorful mulch can be attractive and help your plants stand out.

2. Weed-Reduction

A semi-thick layer of mulch minimizes weeds from growing in your beds and minimizes the time and...

Each landscaping project is different and therefore differs in the effort put forth and the damage that will occur to your lawn. It'll take some time for your yard to recover, kind of like the phrase, "it gets worse before it gets better."

You should plan on having your yard torn up for a little while.

Muddy Yard

Your yard will be exposed to dirt from digging hole and digging up your yard.

Water will come up from the ground, so even if it does not rain, you'll have...

The garden covering, mulch, is typically composed of natural and organic materials that provide nutrients and protection for your plants.

Mulch will seal in the moisture collected and prevent evaporation, allowing your little plants to soak it all in and grow big and healthy. That soft layer of mulch also provides protection to your germinating seedlings. Especially beneficial in the winter climates, mulch can protect your plants in the freezing weathers by...

Just in time for the Easter Holiday and Spring season, these cute burlap hanging carrots will brighten your home and spirits. This craft is pretty quick to complete and the materials are quite cheap (most of which you may already have).

Balled-and-burlapped trees are trees that are sold with their roots in soil and wrapped in burlap.

B&B trees are usually larger and more mature plants than those that you would get in a container or bareroot. These trees are grown in the ground and then dug up in the late winter or spring. The trees are wrapped up and shipped to nurseries or garden centers for you to purchase.

If the burlap on your tree's rootball is natural fiber, it will decompose in the ground as the...

Starting a plant off in a pot or container can be very beneficial and convenient for you. The trick is know when the plant is ready to be transplanted into the ground and how to do this properly.

When choosing a containered plant from a nursery, check the plants very closely to be sure you're getting a healthy plant. Make sure the plant is not root-bound. Some warning signs include roots coming up past the top of the soil, coiling around the trunk or protruding from the bottom of the container....

Planting your trees properly is one of the most important factors regarding your plant's survival. Make sure you know the best way to put your trees in the ground so they can have a great start and establish their roots successfully.

Digging a wide enough planting hole is essential.

A hole twice as wide as the rootball is recommended, but three times as wide is even better.

However, the hole should only be as deep as the height of the rootball.

Your tools can really take a beating with all the maintenance and yard work that is done from the beginning of spring and late into fall. Before you put them away for the winter, you should take a few minutes to protect and preserve them so they will be clean and working like like new. Follow these simple secrets to keep your tools in the best shape and ready for spring.

In addition to last week's post featuring the use of burlap table runners in your wedding decorations, we've decided to take the Burlap Wedding a step further and offer a creative and inspiring wedding favor that you can provide to each of your guests.

You'll just need to pick up small burlap bags, or if you're good with a sewing machine, you can buy a large piece of burlap and cut and sew your own small bags. You'll also need coffee beans and enough to fill the bags about 3/4 the way full. Purchase...

Though you've probably never thought of it, burlap can be a great decoration, added to accentuate the dinner and reception of your wedding.

Because burlap is plant-based, incorporating pieces of it as decoration can add a natural feeling to the atmosphere. Burlap can provide an interesting texture and color to enhance your guests' experience. Also, because using a burlap table runners for wedding decor is pretty unique, you'll have...

These beautiful, easy-to-make ornaments will look great decorating Christmas trees in any room or home. You can even get the kids involved and let them personalize the backs of the ornaments with their names and the date.

For many families, bringing a live Christmas tree into their home for the holidays is a great tradition. Whether this is your first time or your twentieth, find out how to choose and keep your tree so you can plant it in your yard after the festivities and enjoy it for years to come.

Choose a Balled in Burlap or container tree if you plan to plant the tree after the holidays.

Keep your landscape in shape by following these simple tips for the winter.

Preparing your Lawn

This is the perfect time to fill in Bare patches in your yard with sod because it can establish roots much easier than in hot, dry weather. Adding sod now will give you that full, instant lawn when spring comes up.

Pruning Shrubs and Hedges

Pruning encourages healthy growth and should be done once the leaves turn, indicating that the plant has gone...

Though it will take some work, winterizing and protecting your landscaping will definitely pay off when your yard is thriving and blooming again in the spring and you don't have to make any repairs that were damaged from the winter.

Irrigation systems should be winterized by opening drains and clearing lines that may freeze.

The gutters should also be cleared to prevent clogs. Clogs can lead to freezing the water trapped by the clogs can freeze, expanding and dislodging the hardware that fastens it.

Scarecrows were originally used on farms to keep birds away from the crops and from eating plants in gardens. Even if you're not having bird problems, these makeshift men are great decorations in your garden.

Follow just ten easy steps to put together your own scarecrow to keep pesky birds away and add another friendly face to your garden. Be a little creative with the scarecrows clothing and add your own personal touches. Also, adding shiny objects, like tin cans, will make your scarecrow appear more frightening to...

Before you can have that gorgeous, admirable lawn and landscaping in your yard, the one that all the neighbors envy, you'll have to start with the basics.

Soil

The fist thing you'll nee to do is to have your soil tested. Soil can be heavily acidic or alkaline, depending on where you live. Testing is helpful because you'll then need to choose plants and trees that thrive in your type or soil. You may even need to add nitrogen to the soil to allow it to perform at its best.

Mulching is an important part of landscaping and keeping your plant beds healthy and weed-free.

Mulch is typically sold by cubic yard, and because that is pretty difficult to measure and convert to fit your yard. We've found an easy measuringformula that you can follow so you don't end up with a leftover pile of mulch or have to make multiple trips to pick up more.

Multiply the length and the width of the place you want to mulch. This...

When decorating your garden and yard, your flowers, plants and trees will be the main focus and attraction. The furniture or fixtures that you add should be chosen based on how well they compliment your plants and the area they occupy. Creating an attractive and comfortable yard is your goal when landscaping.

Because mulch is the decorating material of choice for gardens across the United States, many people use it, although sometimes incorrectly. This can actually damage and cause harm to the plants in your garden.

Laying down a layer of mulch can be very beneficial to your garden and planting beds. Mulch helps suppress weeds, retain moisture and moderate the soil's temperature.

Choosing the plants that will landscape your land and the trees that will be permanent fixtures in your yard is a big decision. You'll need to spend some time determining which plants are the best for your yard and how much money you want to spend on them. We've got an article for you with the following things that you'll need to really check out before choosing which plants to purchase.

With just a few standard materials and a few hours of your time, you can make a pin board just like this one. The woven burlap give a unique pattern while helping the board stand out and look great in any of the rooms in your house. This project is quick and cheap and practical for everyone.

No matter how low-maintenance your landscaping may be, no yard will ever be maintenance-free. Here are a few tasks that you'll need to include in your up-keep routine in order to have your yard and garden looking great. Make sure that if you can't contribute a lot of time or don't want to spend a lot of effort on your landscape to choose additions that require little maintenance.